SCV: Stories Untold
by Morumotto-chi
Summary: Okay, who else was pissed at the lack of attention given to the other charas in SCV! To fill the gap, I've made this thing. I'm going through the character's profiles and writing what might have been. Non-SCV charas will be included! C 1: Xiba meets Maxi
1. Hunger

**Hi hi~**

**I got SCV the day it came out, and stabbed myself with a pen while trying to open it, breaking the skin. I was so excited.**

**The story mode, if you don't have the game, is…strange. If you ask me, a step up from SCIV, where everything was super vague. In fact, the plot was well developed, I loved the graphics and characterization. However, what pissed me off was the fact that you can only play as 5 characters—Patroklos, Pyrrha, ∂ Patroklos, Pyrrha Ω, and Z.W.E.I. Also, many characters were missing who totally could've been fit in there—Hilde, Mitsurugi, Yoshimitsu, and Cervantes, for instance.**

**To top it all off, the only characters who were characterized at all were the Alexandra siblings. Therefore, I hastily prepare this treat to help us all try to imagine what could've been.**

* * *

><p><em><em>**Chapter 1: Hunger**

_"Strides a stranger, the heart within him. A wilder thing than wind or billows." -Heinrich Heine_

* * *

><p><em>Maxi drew power from the fragment of the cursed sword Soul Edge still lodged in his body, but it came with a price. Even after defeating Astaroth and avenging his crewmates, he remained consumed with an insatiable lust for revenge.<em>

_Not wanting to drag his friends down with him, Maxi left Kilik and Xianghua to walk a dark and lonely path. Living in the shadows, his humanity gradually slipped away- until he found salvation at the hands of Edge Master, Kilik's former teacher. The old man taught Maxi how to live with the shard of the cursed sword he carried within him, and in time, Maxi managed to suppress its foul influence._

_Over the course of the next eight years, Maxi's jovial temperament returned. He even started to joke about the unusually slow rate at which his body was aging, and how easy it was to pass as a young man._

_Perhaps sensing the time had come; Edge Master bade Maxi to listen well. Kilik's life was in danger, he said, and there was only one way to save him: Kilik must bequeath his weapon, the Kali-Yuga, to a boy named…_

* * *

><p>"Xiba?"<p>

The young man looked up from his meal upon hearing his name. "Uh-huh? Haff meh," he said, his mouth stuffed full of food.

The goofy greeting surprised Maxi. This couldn't be the kid Edge Master wanted to inherit the Kali-Yuga, _Kilik's_ Kali-Yuga. He scratched his head and cleared his throat before he asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Surprisingly enough, the kid gave a nod of approval. Maxi sat down quietly and called over the server of the restaurant.

After ordering he glanced over at the boy. This kid couldn't be more than sixteen! He was so, so young… looked innocent, too. Definitely hadn't gone through what Kilik, Xianghua, hell, even _he_ had gone through. He knew nothing of the cursed and spirit swords, what was out there in Europe, Ostrheinsberg…

"So, how did you know my name?" Xiba suddenly asked, pulling Maxi out of his thoughts.

The older man smirked, "I've heard a bit about you from a friend of mine. My name's Maxi," he offered a hand.

"Xiba! But, you knew that," Xiba answered with a grin.

"Uh, Xiba…" Maxi started almost nervously, "If you don't mind me asking, how…old are you?"

"Fifteen! Born in 1592!" Xiba's grin widened.

Maxi winced. Fifteen. This boy was _fifteen_ and Edge Master wanted him to take on the responsibility of the Kali-Yuga all by himse—

"…Oh, hell naw."

"What's 'hell naw', Maxi?"

Maxi stood up, "Xiba, when we're done with our meal, would you do me the honor of a friendly spar? To… test our skills against each other?"

Xiba blinked innocently. "Sure! I just finished studying at the Ling-Sheng Su temple last year! I'd love to see how far I've come!"

"Good, I'll wait for you outside."

"Aren't you gonna eat what you—"

"You can have mine."

"Sweet!"

* * *

><p>Maxi leaned against the wooden building and started playing with his hair. He realized inside the restaurant. Edge Master wanted him to <em>train<em> the kid, to mentor him and tow him along on his journey. To be perfectly honest, Maxi wasn't totally against that.

But it would still suck ass.

Not to mention having to look after him like he was his own kid, considering how immature he was. Feeding him…

"Maxi! I'm done eating!" he heard Xiba call to him. Maxi stood up and cracked his neck. If the kid could fight, it would all be worth it.

"You ready to do this?" Maxi asked when they got to the arena.

"Yeah! Loser has to buy the winner supper!" Xiba exclaimed happily.

Maxi rolled his eyes, but whipped out his nunchaku and twirled them around a bit, hoping to intimidate his opponent (and show off). "All right, it's go time!" he smirked.

Maxi, with all of his experience, decided to wait for his opponent to make the first move so he could counter. Seeing the opening, Xiba rushed at him and thrust out the Three Karmas, only to be guarded and countered by Maxi. Maxi then grabbed the younger boy, rolled him onto his back and cracked the nunchaku. A signature move of his.

Xiba stumbled back, stunned. Soon his gaping expression turned into a playful grin. "You're better than I thought you'd be, Maxi!"

"Can't say the same about you," Maxi called back mockingly.

If Xiba heard that, he hadn't cared. He threw another attack at Maxi, this one being successful and knocked him to the ground. As soon as Maxi got up, Xiba grabbed his chance. He launched multiple quick-fire attacks, several combos in succession.

Although caught off-guard at first, Maxi blocked most of the attacks and quickly side-stepped another, causing Xiba to carelessly tumble into the river. Maxi laughed as Xiba popped up from under the water, shaking his wet hair like a dog.

He offered a hand to the boy, "I think we can both agree that I won that one."

Xiba smirked and took the hand, "Definitely. I let my excitement get the best of me. So, guess I'm buying you dinner then?"

Maxi smirked, "Sure."

* * *

><p>At dinner, Maxi was glad that he wasn't paying. This kid could eat. While Xiba was yapping with his mouth full, Maxi was still deep in thought.<p>

"_So I'm supposed to make this kid my protégé? He's got potential, I'll give 'im that… How do I tell him, though?"_

"Blah blah…uncomfortable beds…picked on…Su Temple…" Xiba kept on talking.

Maxi sat up straighter. "Su, as in Ling-Sheng Su Temple? You mentioned it before, did you—?"

"Yeah, man, I've just spent the better part of a half-hour telling you about it! You make it sound like you're not even paying attention!" Xiba pouted.

"Yeah, funny thing about that," Maxi said sarcastically (Xiba didn't pick that up). "My friend, Kilik trained at that same temple. Listen, kid, my teacher—Edge Master's his name, wanted you to inherit a rod that Kilik used to have—the Kali-Yuga. I…um uh, know it's a bit weird to say it like this, but I'm all for training and traveling with you."

Xiba blinked, "Sure!"

A look of confusion washed over Maxi's face. "Just like that?"

Xiba burped loudly and slumped in his seat, "Well, yeah. From what I can tell, you, the guy with awesome hair, a six-pack, and who just kicked my ass, wants to give me a new weapon, train me with it, and travel with me. Seems win-win for me."

Maxi opened his mouth to speak—"And I'm kinda broke."

The older man gave his new companion his trademark smirk. "Okay then. We'll set out to meet Edge Master tomorrow and you'll become Kilik's successor."

"Great! You have enough money to pay for the inn stay?"

Maxi rolled his eyes, handed Xiba a few yuanbo and watched him run off to the owner.

"Well, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

* * *

><p><strong>Don't expect regular updates on this one. I have nine stories running and counting. I can never finish what I started.<strong>

**Please, if you have any characters you want to see story-extensions for, whether they're in SCV or not, please tell me!**

**So far, I plan on going into the new Asian Group, Schwarzwind, Tira, and probably Talim or Yun-Seong since they were some of my favorites in the older games.**

**Tell me what you want, and I'll do my best to fit it in!**

**Question of the chapter: Anyone else notice in SCV that Lizard Man/ Aeon Calcos now has the ability to sprout wings? Like, not dragon, scaly wings; like feathery angel-dove wings. WTF?**


	2. A Young Lady Longing For an Adventure

**Hi hi~**

**I was so impressed with the amount of positive feedback from that first chapter! Thank ya'll so much! I hope to keep you interested and not slack off SO much.**

**DISCLAIMER (cuz I forgot it last chapter): If I owned the Soul Series, I wouldn't have to write this story ¬.¬**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: A Young Lady Longing for Adventure<strong>

"_What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"_

_-Vincent van Gogh_

* * *

><p><em>Though Leixia's father was a general in the armies of the Ming Dynasty, it was her mother, Chai Xianghua, who gave her a taste for adventure. Xianghua entranced her daughter with tales of her quest to find the Hero's Sword, and the boy she fell in love with along the way.<em>

_Leixia never found out what happened to the boy, but the stories filled her with excitement and wanderlust._

"When I grow up, we'll see the world together, Mother!"

A thirty-year-old Xianghua smiled at her daughter. "Of course, Leixia. Anything for you."

"I don't see why you wanna leave so badly," Leixia's younger brother, Leixin, sneered from the doorway. "Not like I'm complaining, though."

"Leixin, get out of my room!" Leixia screamed, throwing a cushion at the boy.

"Both of you, calm down," Xianghua laughed cheerily. "Traveling outside of the palace will be good for you, Leixia. It's always nice to get some _real_ freedom and fresh air, away from this cramped life I've forced you to live by marrying Wujin." She ruffled her daughter's hair.

Leixia beamed. "When we go to see the world, will we fight bad guys?"

"Oh, yes," Xianghua laughed again, enjoying her daughter's excitement.

"Will I get to see you fight? Will you teach me to fight?" Leixia asked with hopeful eyes.

Xianghua's smile faltered for a bit. She giggled a bit and kissed Leixia's forehead, "Of course, Flower Bud. I'll teach you everything I know. Starting tomorrow!" she announced triumphantly.

Leixia giggled. It was rare to see her mother so fired up about something. She must've been just as excited to get out of this grand place as she was.

* * *

><p><em>Leixia never forgot the promise she made to her mother, and she spent her youth practicing sword fighting with her in anticipation of their travels.<em>

Leixia finished off another palace guard with a flick of her wooden sword. "Too easy!" she chirped. "Mock battles are no fun. If you're not using a real sword, everything's boring!"

"I don't want you practicing with something that can cut yet, Leixia," Xianghua called from the edge of the arena. "When the time comes, I'll give you your own Chinese Sword."

"I can't use No Name?" Leixia pouted.

"No," Xianghua laughed. "No Name and I have been through a lot together. I'll have a weapon of your very own forged for you when I feel you're ready."

"Mother, I'm fourteen now, turning fifteen in a week and I'm the best sparring partner out of all the castle guard! When are we going to leave~?" the teenager whined over the rails of the arena.

"I became a part of the Ming Guard when I was sixteen, Leixia," her mother pointed out. "But…I suppose we'll set out when you turn fifteen."

Leixia smiled brightly. She had been trying to convince her mother to place the date sooner for years! And now… in a week, she'd begin her own tale of wonders and romance, just like her mother!

* * *

><p><em>But on her 15th birthday, everything changed.<em>

"Hey, _Meimei_," Leixin murmured, "Mother said I had to get you something, so here you go." He thrust out a hand, holding a beautiful shining blue crystal in it.

Leixia gasped, carefully handling the delicate-looking treasure. "Leixin," she whispered, "Where… H-How did you get this?"

"Some old guy gave it to me," Leixin explained louder than before, now satisfied with his minimal efforts to make his sister happy.

Leixia raised an eyebrow, "Some old guy, Leixin? That sounds a bit suspicious."

Her brother shrugged. "He said some weird guru gibberish about destiny and evaporation yoga."

Leixia was very confused now. But she wasn't going to question it. It was such a beautiful gem, there was no way there could be any harm in carrying it around with her. "Thank you so much, Leixin!" she squealed, embracing him.

Later, she went to her room and called in an attendant to attach the crystal to her collar. She looked herself in the mirror and gave a nod of approval. Damn, she looked good.

She turned to her bed, noticing a long, thin box sitting on top. She rushed over excitedly, anticipating the sword her mother had promised. Sure enough, inside was a long silver _jian_, with a teal grip and golden embellished guard. A blue tassel dangled from the hilt. In awe, Leixia picked it up and twirled it a bit, fingering the intricate design on the metal. She noticed a note inside the box and recognized it as Xianghua's calligraphy. "Budding Summer," she read out loud. "As promised, this is the Chinese Sword that I had forged for you. Her name is _Shi Yingchi de Lánsè_—Ten Feet of Blue. Again, I apologize that I can't be with you right now. I will be back in the palace by sundown. Happy fifteenth birthday, Leixia! Love, Mother."

Leixia smiled. Leave it to her mother to be as caring as could be, even if she was out and about. No matter. She was grateful for this marvelous gift and couldn't wait to show off her new pendant.

When Xianghua walked into her quarters she was immediately met by her daughter's embrace and chatter of "Thank you!", "I love you!", and "You're the best mother I could ever ask for!"

Xianghua smiled in response to this outburst of affection, remembering when she was this excitable. Something around Leixia's neck caught her eye and her smile was replaced with a look of shock. "L-Leixia, Flower Bud, what's that pendant you're wearing?"

Leixia looked down at the jewelry and smiled. "Isn't it beautiful? I guess Leixin can do some things right, after all!"

Leixia heard her mother whisper something unintelligible behind her hand as tears came to her eyes. Leixia's eyes widened. She hadn't ever seen her mother, the strongest woman she knew, cry before.

Xianghua ran out of the room to find her husband. When she got to their bedchambers, she frantically grabbed his arm and yelled to him, "I don't want Leixia exposed to the outside world! I want her to become one of the emperor's wives!"

And Leixia stood shocked in the next room over, not believing what she was hearing.

* * *

><p><em>Now, Leixia may have been naïve, but she was not stupid. She was sure it was the sight of the pendant that had caused this dramatic change in her mother. <em>

_She escaped the family mansion and set out on her own to discover why._

"_I don't have much to go on, but I'll figure it out," she resolved to herself. "After all, this is my destiny!"_

_At last, the time had come to venture out into the world of clashing swords and sweeping romance that she'd dreamed about for so long…_

And complete her story.

* * *

><p><strong>AAAAGGGH. My sister's been bugging me about this chapter for the past hour or so because she wants me to finish it so we can watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.<strong>

**Pegasisters FTW!**

**If anyone wants to beta for this story, none of my friends know this game, and I need plot and continuity advice. No spelling or grammar necessary, I think. Thank you!**

**Question of the Chapter: PLEASE, I NEED REQUESTS! Name a character you want to see more in depth, and I'll try my best! No OC's, please!**

**Dude, that button is telling you to review. Don't piss it off, man, just do it!**

**ll**

**ll**

**V**


	3. The Wandering Seer & the Untamed Beast

**Hi hi~**

**OH MY GOD, FOURTEEN REVIEWS FOR TWO CHAPTERS! I'm so flattered~ I love all of my reviewers and readers! Just seeing the number of hits makes me so giddy!**

**Still would like a Beta Reader to help me out with the plot… PM me or review to let me know, and I'll stalk you :3**

**Whelp, most requests were for Z.W.E.I., Viola, and Ezio, and since I'm totally clueless as to how I'll incorporate Mister Auditore, it's Viola Z.W.E.I. time!**

**DISCLAIMER: Man, Z.W.E.I. is a bitch to type.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: The Wandering Seer &amp; the Untamed Beast<strong>

"_The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."_

_-Walter Bagehot_

* * *

><p><em>No one knew his real name; a strange alias and vague rumors about his origins were all anyone had to go by.<em>

_They called him a werewolf. Some swore they'd seen him summon a strange beast to fight by his side. Others claimed corpses were found in every city he'd left behind…_

_In truth, Z.W.E.I. was a hunted man, on the run from assassins sent by Graf Dumas of Hungary. He had dared to interfere with Dumas' purge of the "malfested", a witch-hunt that falsely accused and executed innocent people._

* * *

><p><em>In the heart of the bustling city of Córdoba, Spain, Viola carefully plied her trade. She wouldn't stay there long—she didn't stay anywhere long; fortune telling can be a dangerous occupation when you actually tell the truth.<em>

_By peering into her crystal ball, Viola could see deep within a person's soul. But of herself, she knew nothing at all._

"_Why am I here? What is my purpose?"_

_The harsh truths of Viola's predictions always led to hatred and resentment, so she lived as a nomad, traveling from one city to the next. She refused to follow custom and simply tell her patrons what she knew they wanted to hear._

That wouldn't be fair, now, would it?

_Her own memories were so barren that she couldn't empathize with other people—they didn't even feel real to her._

_The one exception was Z.W.E.I._

* * *

><p>"No lover, if he be of good faith, and sincere, will deny he would prefer to see his own lover dead than unfaithful."*<p>

The brunette blinked a few times, trying to comprehend the odd string of words. "E-Excuse me?" she stuttered out.

"No lover, if he be of good faith, and sincere, will deny he would prefer to see his own lover dead than unfaithful," Viola repeated patiently.

"J-Just what are you accusing me of? Cheating on my husband?" the woman demanded louder than before, standing up.

"I do not accuse," Viola stated calmly. "I only speak of the truth. What you have heard _is_ true and _will be _true."

"You witch!" the woman screamed, "I ask you for a reading about my love life, and you dare to call me a slut! You know nothing of me!"

"_On the contrary,"_ Viola thought, _"I know more of you than you yourself."_

Josefina Ruiz. Age twenty-four, wife of one man, lover of another. Forced into marriage at seventeen.

"That's the same seer who told me that my son would die!" A man called out from the gathering crowd.

"She said my company would go bankrupt!" another yelled.

Josefina picked up her crystal ball off the table and turned it in her fingers. "This looks like nothing but a worthless piece of glass to me! You have no real powers!" she threw it to the ground, as time slowed down for Viola.

Upon instinct, she called out the command to bring the Quattuor Orbis back to her arms.

Quattuor Orbis glowed with life, with energy, as it quickly flew up into the air and to its mistress's dancing fingers.

The crowd was stunned silent at first. But Viola knew what was coming. It happened everywhere she went.

"Witch!" the dreaded word bounced around the frightened Spaniards, some yelling it as an accusation and others screaming it in terror.

Viola calmly placed her funds gained from the town into her pouch as the villagers ran in fear. She was not worried. She did not need to start worrying until the torches and spears were drawn.

There would be seven men.

* * *

><p>Z.W.E.I. was (although he'd never admit it) surprised to see the city of Córdoba to be in chaos upon his arrival.<p>

"_And I haven't even done anything noteworthy yet,"_ he thought jokingly.

Z.W.E.I. darted behind a standing wagon as some people ran by. If they did know who he was, it wouldn't be good to get them even more freaked out than they already were. His ears perked at the cries being emitted.

"Witch!"

"A witch in Córdoba!"

"Get your torches!"

"She'll kill us all!"

He grabbed one passing man on the shoulder. He shrieked in surprise and shook his hand off, running again.

Z.W.E.I. sighed. He wasn't going to get anything from the frazzled townspeople.

"_A witch…"_ he thought, _"Surely not a witch at all. Probably just another victim of Dumas' hunt for the so-called malfested."_

Looking remarkably out of place, Z.W.E.I. calmly walked forward, past the fleeing villagers, looking for the woman in question.

* * *

><p>"You lack…" Viola started, focusing Quattuor Orbis on the man's abdomen, "Focus." The man gasped sharply, before groaning and falling to the ground.<p>

Her attackers looked at their comrade with horror etched on their faces, before fear deformed itself into rage.

"I'm tired of this," Viola stated bluntly. She noted that her orb was lying on the ground beside the man's corpse, white and lifeless.

Luckily, she didn't need it to know what would happen next.

"You bitch! You're nothing without that ball!" the men rushed at her, their emotions fueled by the taste of their friend's death.

She sighed. Always the same. Oh, how she did grow weary of the old routine. She gracefully sidestepped the first attack, whipping out her claw. She quickly slashed at the faces of several attackers, kicking those who came from behind where it hurt the most. When she saw an opening, Viola was even quicker to call Quattuor Orbis back to her.

When there was silence, Viola glanced about. None left to attack her. She counted the bodies on the ground. Seven. Viola nodded. The storm had passed. Now she had to find new attire so as to not tip off any travelers, and be on her merry way.

The seer felt a small spark. She looked to Quattuor Orbis again, searching for what it may—

Viola shrieked. Behind her, with a kitchen knife in Viola's back, was a woman. "Die, you witch!" she yelled, before dropping her trembling hands from the knife.

Viola gasped for air and staggered to the ground. Seven. There were seven _men_.

"I…" Viola gasped. She heard noises that she couldn't identify. The woman must have stayed to watch her pathetic figure. Her senses felt numbed, she could not hear, see, think. "I…failed to see this…"

She wouldn't die. She wouldn't let herself. For one such as her, death by a flesh wound would be…pathetic. Her _will alone_…should be enough to keep her alive.

Viola cringed as she felt another spark from the Quattuor Orbis. Clutching it, she struggled to open her eyes and peered into the object, looking for the future.

And for once, Viola thought she saw something resembling joy in her crystal ball before she blacked out.

* * *

><p>Z.W.E.I. was, for once, at a loss for words. The woman he had just found passed out with a knife stuck halfway through her back sure wasn't like anyone he'd seen before.<p>

"I…" the woman stuttered weakly, "I…failed to see this…"

Z.W.E.I. shot a glare at the woman, to which she squeaked and ran away.

He kneeled to the girl on the ground. "Can you hear me?" he asked calmly.

The girl did not respond. She twitched suddenly, and her hands tightened around the glowing crystal orb she held. Z.W.E.I. saw her struggle to look into the ball as it glowed a darker purple. His eyebrows raised in amusement.

This _would_ prove to be interesting.

* * *

><p><strong>*That quote is from author Marquis de Sade, born in 1740, roughly one-hundred-fifty years after Viola said this. This is why I need a beta, guys.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Eh hell, I'll finish that story later. For now, you guys can use your imaginations for whatever M rated fantasies you have for what happened next, and I'll correct you in a few chapters.<strong>

**Guys, again, SEW HAPPEH at the positive feedback and requests, but I need ideas, too! Anybody who wants to be my beta/editor/helper-outer, PLEASE YOU DON'T NEED A BETA ACCOUNT, YOU DON'T NEED AN FF ACCOUNT, ALL YOU NEED IS AN E-MAIL ADDRESS!**

**QotC: So, Hilde has two kids, ya? There are no information on them, but I made the elder a boy, Ulrich, and the younger a girl, Luann. The question: _Who's their daddy?_**

**If you wanna help me out and answer the damn question, press the pretty blue button below!**

**ll**

**ll**

**V**


	4. The Raven

**Hi hi~**

**A big hug of awesomeness goes to my newly appointed beta readers Mechwar and Captain Black Night. You two are amazing! ~throws Muffins~**

**Sorry this update took a while…I had a busy week with filling in my friend's shifts at work and trying to translate the Odyssey so a third grade class can understand (pfft)**

**Agh! Longest chapter! 2,356 words!**

**Language may be a little awkward, this chapter was fun to write, but also…ya know, awkward. I love Tira, though. The twisted characters always seem to be the best; they have the most effort put into their characterization.**

**DISCLAIMER: rawr**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Torment<strong>

"'_Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil! —prophet still, if bird or devil!—Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore…'"_

_-Edgar Allen Poe ("The Raven")_

* * *

><p><em>It would seem that not many know of her past. Not many care. Most are dead before they can think to ask, and others only hope for her demise.<em>

_Not one wants to know._

_Eiserne Drossel, Iron Thrush, the Misguided Angel of Death, Dark Wings That Plot in Secret, Servant of the Cursed Sword…_

_Tira._

* * *

><p>Tira. It was a new sound that had puzzled her when it had first reached her ears. The woman who had suggested it—the woman who would genuinely try to think of her as a daughter—smiled brightly.<p>

"Tira" wrinkled her nose in disgust. She never had a proper name before. When she was in the Bird of Passage, she was given the codename Eiserne Drossel. In English, "Iron Thrush". She was still quite fond of that name, of that way of life, and had no intentions to start a new one.

Her brown eyes scanned the room. A woman, a man, a small boy, and two girls. It was the woman who had suggested the family bring her into their care.

"What do you think, dear? Would you like to be Tira?" the woman asked again.

Tira nodded silently. The Bird of Passage, her Mother Bird, her leader, were dead, all dead. She would try to live a new life. One without constant bloodshed, a normal one. She thought she could do it.

It was harder than she anticipated.

Every day, Tira would wake up, assist her "brother" with chores, eat meals, nothing particularly interesting. The days dragged on and on, leaving Tira without a thrill to live off of. The one thing she noticed though was the bird, the youngest girl's bird, which just sat in the cage all day, doing nothing but tweeting occasionally.

Remembering the time when she was freed from her masters, Tira felt pity above all else for the poor thing. Why wouldn't the girl let it go? Could she not see its suffering?

So one day, Tira released it into the wild. Upon seeing it fly away, a fond smile grew on her face; she knew it would be happier, that she had done the right thing.

Her "family" thought otherwise.

They scolded her for releasing the bird. Their youngest daughter was heartbroken, they said, she loved the thing, and it was cruel of Tira to take away that happiness.

Tira was enraged. Who cared about the kid's happiness? She was a stupid little girl; it was the bird they should have thought of! It didn't deserve this!

_She_ didn't deserve this!

In a blind rage, "Tira" murdered her family.

She became a wanderer, heartlessly killing anybody who dared to cross her path. As a symbol that she was a new person, she kept the name Tira, and passed the title of Eiserne Drossel on to her ring blade.

It was soon after, that she met the Azure Knight.

She had heard rumors of him, of his ability to spread pain, and of how many he had killed. The young girl had grown positively giddy; such a man could only be seen as a kindred spirit in her eyes.

So when she found him at the tender age of seventeen, she immediately fell to her knees and begged for him to take her as a servant. She couldn't take freedom much longer.

The Azure Knight had assigned her two missions as his loyal servant: to destroy the spirit sword Soul Calibur, and to find a permanent host for Soul Edge.

He had also given her the Watchers, a flock of demonic raven sentries as an army. Tira came to think of them as a family. She was always fond of birds.

During her travels to collect souls for her master, Tira encountered several candidates for hosts. One of her favorites was the Holy Warrior, Sophitia Alexandra. It always intrigued the young girl how such a seemingly strong woman could be brought to her knees when threatened with the death of her family members.

She had gone ahead of Nightmare to the Lost Cathedral and waited before the gate. Having already malfested, she had been affected strongly by witnessing the destruction unleashed when the legendary swords clashed. Hurled into the maelstrom, Tira's mind was torn apart, shattered into countless shards. But the loyalty she felt toward Soul Edge made her cling to life, and her consciousness clawed itself together again. In the end, she became two people, her mind reformed into two separate entities that represented the extremes of the original, unstable Tira. Two consciousnesses. Two awarenesses. Two Tiras.

"_Soul Edge will consume everything, oh, yes, everything~"_

"_Everything I am is devoted to the service of my king."_

* * *

><p><em>A former assassin infatuated with the destructive power of Soul Edge, Tira was devastated when the blonde man defeated the Evil Sword 17 years earlier.<em>

_The two personalities within her lamented as one, and howled together in a chorus of rage. But Tira found some solace in her plans for a certain young girl, and in the ever-growing strength of the shattered sword's fragments. Revitalized by her hopes to revive Soul Edge, Tira dedicated herself to a hunt for the sword's scattered pieces._

"Found another!" Tira chirped. She placed the glowing red chip in her cleavage. For now, it was the safest place.

"_We're close,"_ her Gloomy side hissed, _"Only so many more shards until we can revive him."_

A sweet smile formed on Tira's face. She sighed, pulling the shard out once again to admire it. "Ain't it lovely?" she marveled, speaking as her Jolly side. As if responding to her, the object pulsed and glowed more intensely. Tira giggled, her multi-colored pigtails swaying. "Ayup, it's taken us a long time, but it'll all be worth it once we're serving under him again!"

* * *

><p><em>But after working so hard for so many years, the reborn Azure Knight was not at all what Tira had hoped for. He curried favor with human nations, scheming in secret and gathering souls from the shadows. Tira could barely stand to look upon this cowardly Nightmare.<em>

"_He's an imposter! I will never accept him!"_

"_In that case…" began the dark half of her personality, "…I shall prepare an appropriate vessel for Soul Edge myself!" finished her brighter half. Tira certainly had all the ingredients; she'd carefully been preparing them for 17 years. It was the perfect plan._

_And so Tira disappeared into the night once more, on her way to visit that "certain young girl…"_

* * *

><p>"Pyrrha~!"<p>

The frightened blonde turned around in her cell, wiping her eyes. "Wh-Who are you?" she sniffled, "What d-do you want from me?"

Tira smiled. Oh, this girl would be perfect. She was just as she remembered her.

And she did look so much like her mother.

Pyrrha Alexandra was known as a cursed woman. She never knew her real family, and those who raised her mysteriously died. Everywhere she went, men would confess to her, and every one of them would die similarly. Just the day before, Pyrrha's buyer from the black market, Jurgis, proposed and was brutally murdered not two hours later. Of course, Tira knew the reason~

Tira unconsciously licked her lips. "It's not what I want from you," she ran her fingers over the iron bars of the prison, "It's what I can get _for _you."

Pyrrha squeaked.

Tira grabbed the bars and leaned in towards the girl, "You didn't kill him, I know. Jurgis was a man you respected. He bought you as his maid, and proposed to you. When he was murdered, everyone turned to you. The 'Bringer of Woe'."

The blonde whimpered again.

Tira continued, "But, like I said, I know you didn't do it. You don't have the heart, do you?" she paused, and Pyrrha could have sworn she saw a flash of dark purple in the strange girl's pink eyes before she continued more harshly, "But none of that matters, does it? These people will never understand you. Everywhere you go, you are shunned, pushed around, and you have nobody to support you." She knelt down to Pyrrha's level. "I can release you from here. You can join me, and we will protect each other from these horrible, _evil_ people."

Pyrrha's eyes widened. She inched closer to the girl. "You…you'll be my friend? You won't leave me?" she asked desperately.

Tira's eyes flashed yellow. She giggled childishly, "'Course not, Sweetie! You and I gotta stick together! We're different, Pyrrha," she looked her in the eye, "and mean people are going to hate us for it. Let me help you." She extended a gloved hand.

Pyrrha hesitated, but took it. "I trust you, I-I think. What's your name? I'm Pyrrha Alexandra…"

Tira giggled again, "I knew that. I'm Tira! Our names rhyme, isn't that cool? Oh!" she snapped her fingers, "Silly me, the bars!" she picked up Eiserne Drossel, which had been leaning on the wall. "Swish!" she cut through the metal with ease.

Pyrrha stood up and brushed herself off. "I don't want anyone to know that I'm g-gone. I-I could get into big trouble, a-and I really just want to make sure that—"

'_Good GOD, she's annoying,'_ Gloomy griped, _'Such a pushover.'_

Jolly smiled, _'Pushover's good. She's too much of a wuss to resist us, and once her soul is darkened, all we have to do is get rid of that phony Nightmare and she'll be the ideal host!'_

"Don't worry about it, Pyrrha," Tira put an arm around her shoulder, not having heard any of what she said. "I'll make sure that you never ever get into any trouble."

Pyrrha smiled nervously.

"Oh, and here, Honey, take these," Tira picked up Sophitia's Omega Sword and Elk Shield, the very same ones she had taken from the woman when she killed her.

Pyrrha gasped, "What are these?"

"You can fight, can't you? If we're gonna be out and about without getting in trouble, you're gonna need to be able to fight back," Tira smiled devilishly.

"I…I can fight…" Pyrrha stuttered, "I taught myself. It's just that this sword and shield…they look so…"

"Beautiful, I know," Tira finished. "I thought they'd suit you well."

'_They were your idiot mother's, after all.'_

'_Hee hee! From one idiot, to the next, right~?'_

"This is the Omega Sword, and this is the Elk Shield. Take good care of them, okay?" Before Pyrrha could say anything, Tira heard the prison guards coming to check on the noise. She took another glance at the Alexandra. She'd be killing many later, so for now the easiest thing to do was to let her escape. "Go on, I'll take care of these dummies!" Tira giggled.

"I-I can't just leave you alone," Pyrrha stuttered.

"Honestly, wench, you're too nice!" Tira snapped, "Leave before they recapture you! I could kill them all with one hand tied behind my back."

Pyrrha looked startled, but obeyed and crawled out the small window outside the cell.

Tira rolled her eyes.

'_You might've blown it for us!' _Jolly whined inside her head.

"Shut up," Tira muttered. The men drew close. Tira hung Eiserne Drossel over her shoulder and licked her lips.

"Guess it's time to collect a few more~"

* * *

><p><strong>Ayup, that's the chapter. I don't think I'll have too much more Tira in here, but we'll see. Maybe a PyrrhaTira follow-up or summit.**

**Next up shall be Natsu! Looking forward to writing it!**

**QotC: Would you rather fall off of one side of a bunk bed onto a pile of hardback books, or off of the other side onto a pile of easily angered sheep? (Rights to this question go to my little sister, when she was nine.)**


End file.
